Encounter in a Hogwarts Classroom
by The Green Archer
Summary: What happens when Lily and James have a chance meeting in a classroom after school? Story is told from the perspective of Severus Snape, Lily Evans and James Potter.


**SEVERUS:**

History of Magic class for the sixth year Gryffindors and Slytherins had been a drag that Friday afternoon. With only two weeks remaining until the winter holidays nobody could seem to concentrate on Professor Binns's lesson, not even myself. Potter and his friends were lazily lounging in their desks in the corner of the room while all the other students in the class were either dozing, or sitting at their desk in some kind of stupor.

But I only had eyes for one person in the room – Lily Evans, who was sitting down a few desks from me. Unlike everyone else in the room, Lily looked as though she was trying very hard to listen to Binns's lesson. That was the Lily I knew, always concentrating hard in class even when nobody else was. But today there was something in Lily's eyes that did not look right. There was no light or sparkle in them; even though she was looking at the professor intently her mind seemed elsewhere. She looked sad and lost as though all the happiness had been drained from her by a passing dementor. I was surprised nobody else seemed to have noticed, especially Potter.

As the minutes passed, my desire to ask Lily what was troubling her and whether there was anything I could do for her grew stronger. But my pride prevented me from doing so. For just a year ago Lily announced that our friendship was over, and since then we hadn't spoken a word to each other. I couldn't tell her about the sleepless nights I had spent, just thinking about her, I couldn't tell her how lost and broken I felt without her, I couldn't tell her how much I loved her, and I couldn't even tell her how exactly sorry I was for calling her a mudblood that day on the lake. I could just watch her, and even that was not enough.

When class ended everybody packed up their books and hurried out into the corridor heading towards the Great Hall. Lily told her friends to go on ahead without her; she said she would be down later. This struck me as odd; it was not like Lily to miss dinner. Caught with suspicion, I packed up my books and left the class, but instead of heading to the Great Hall with the other students I waited. I'm not quite sure why I couldn't just mind my own business and leave, but I guess I was too concerned about Lily. When she hadn't come out for five minutes I decided to nose around a bit more. I pressed my ear up to the classroom door and listened. I was surprised at what I heard on the other side. It may have been faint, but it was there. Lily Evans was crying to herself inside the empty classroom.

My heart raced. I knew now was the moment, the day I would finally apologize to Lily. I would walk in, comfort her and say it as sincerely and meaningfully as I meant to. We would finally be friends again or perhaps even more. My hand slowly reached for the door handle, my teeth gritting with anxiety when –

"James, where are you going?" Sirius suddenly called out from the end of the corridor. My hand froze in mid-grasp.

"Forgot my quill," Potter replied from the end of the hall. "You go on ahead; I'll meet you later."

I grimaced. There was no way I was going to have Potter or any of his friends see me here. Backing away from the door, I dashed into a side corridor. I pressed myself up against the wall and peeked through the end to see Potter waving good bye to his friend before entering the classroom. I was terrified at what would happen next.

**JAMES:**

The moment I opened the door and looked inside the classroom I felt as though all the breath had been caught in my chest. For sitting at the side of the classroom, still in her desk was a little red-haired someone, crying with her head buried down in her arms. She didn't notice me at first since her back was turned, but once I closed the door she immediately spun around in alarm, her green eyes wide and streaming with tears. It wasn't a very good look for her, but in my eyes, she still looked as beautiful as ever.

"Erm…hello Evans," I said to her nervously. I didn't know why I suddenly felt so bashful in front of her, or why my face was becoming so warm. This had never happened when I was with the Marauders. Trying to make myself feel less awkward, I asked "What're you crying for?"

Lily sniffled. "Is it any of your business Potter?" she replied coldly. "You're probably just here to make fun of me."

"Er…no, actually I came here to uh…to uh…get my quill." I said in response. To prove my point I headed over to my desk to retrieve it.

**LILY:**

I could still sense he was staring at me, even after he went to his desk to get his quill. I could care less though. Breaking up my friendship with Snape had not been easy for me; next to that James Potter was nothing.

My thoughts were distracted as something soft was brushed against my cheek. Looking up, I saw that James was offering me his handkerchief.

"Is this some kind of joke?" I asked as I looked at it suspiciously.

"No," he replied. "Take it."

I eyed him cautiously, then took it from his hand. It really was soft. I took a moment to wipe away my tears with it, then just so James would be satisfied, blew my nose. The whole time I was doing this James was looking at me curiously.

"So are you going to tell me why you're crying?" he asked me after I had given him back his handkerchief.

"I told you, it's nothing," I replied. "You'd probably think it's stupid anyway."

"I don't think anything you have to say is stupid, Lily."

At first I didn't believe he had said it. It didn't even sound like his voice. It was too honest, and far too solemn. But when I looked up and saw his face, I knew it had to be. There was a strange sense of seriousness and maturity in his eyes I had never seen before. As his face leaned in closer to mine, I started to feel…well I had never really felt this way before…

"I have to go," I said suddenly, standing up from my chair. James almost tripped in alarm.

"But…but…," he said,

"I'm sorry, but I really have to do some homework," I continued. But in truth I had no intentions of doing any homework tonight. My mind felt too jumbled up to do anything. Had I really almost let James Potter kiss me? I was so distracted that I forgot to close my book bag, and before I could open the door several of my books landed on the floor with a loud thud.

"I'll get those," James said quickly, sliding out from behind the desk.

"No, it's alright, I've got them." I said.

Both of us bent down to reach for a book. Both of our hands touched upon reaching for one.

It was like we had both received an electric shock. Forgetting about the fallen books we drew ourselves up to full height and stared at each other, as though meeting for the first time. And for me it was like I had met James for the first time. He looked different somehow, more handsome than normal, or maybe it was just my imagination.

**JAMES: **

Tentatively, I reached out a hand and brushed a lock of red hair away from her face. On any regular circumstance she would probably back away and scream "Don't you dare touch me Potter!" but she didn't. Instead, her green eyes started to shine brightly, and before I could recall what had happened next, she hugged me and started to cry. Not knowing what to make of it, I hugged her back.

**SEVERUS:**

I couldn't take it any longer. Potter had been gone for at least ten minutes; what was taking them so long?

I slid out from my hiding place and pressed my ear up to the door. When I couldn't hear anything, I opened it up a crack. What I saw inside would change me forever.

Inside the classroom Lily and Potter were sharing a long, passionate kiss with each other. I couldn't believe my eyes.

Slamming the door, not caring who heard, I ran away from the classroom and didn't stop until I was up in my dormitory. There I closed all the curtains of my four poster bed and cried. My heart was broken now, I knew it was. I could not erase the images I had seen of Lily embracing James, Lily kissing James…

I could have wished it was a bad dream, but it wasn't. After that night, rumours spread everywhere of Lily and James's growing relationship. But as for me, I slunk further into the shadows of the forgotten, still in love with Lily, inspite of what I'd seen, but forever loathing the man named James Potter. So much in fact, I was seeking vengeance. And I found it, even though it wasn't until many years later.


End file.
